I have tried everyhing for rls, medications that are recommended, opiates, sleeping pills. Nothing works and I am lucky if I can get an hr of uninerrupted sleep. I understand that dopamine has something to do with rls. I have tried eating more foods that contain dopamine, but to no effect. I read in a medical article that sex curtails rls. In your experiences, is this true?

Answers (12)

I am sure you cant sleep because of racing thoughts do to anxiety.Have your doctor start you off with 1mg of xanax to use before going to bed. Keep taking the xanax until lexapro or paxil takes effect usually 6 weeks,then do a slow taper off xanax. this worked great for me. I take paxil and depakote now I feel great and been sleeping fine for 2yrs. My name is Scott and I have a lot of experience being a mental health patient.

To be completely and utterly honest.. sex curbs pain, anxiety, stress, and yes nerve problems and even rls. Don't get me wrong its not gonna control everything but a good relaxed moment after sex is for sure a better chance of sleep for me. It helps me shut off my brain.. even if for just a bit.

That would be great if it were true, but it's BS. As much as I do not approve of it, Tramadol has helped me the most. I also will lie on my stomach and slam my leg into the mattress repeatedly, it helps, but doesn't make you very fun to be around. Hope this helps.

Hi B, have you actually TRIED this? I'm not talking about slamming your leg into the mattress either. I mean sex for RLS and pain? ENDORPHINS/ENDORPHINES!!! They work well. Give it a try if you haven't yet indulged. I can almost guarantee pain relief.

Balbanese, I do the same thing! I kick my leg into the mattress until my husband tells me to quit! lol I have done this all my life. Now that I am married and have to share a bed, I spend a lot of bad nights on the floor where I can wiggle to my hearts content-sometimes it is so bad even the dog wont lay next to me! lol (I have to laugh or I'd cry!) I have actually found that opioids help the most. I never realized "the wigglies" were a syndrome until a few years ago when I saw the term "RLS" and I was like "Oh! thats what it is!" My mother has RLS too and we have both had it all of our lives-I'm a huge conglomerate of all the bad things in the family. My husband states he cant sleep now by himself because he is so used to the bed wiggling-when it is still, he cant sleep. I have never found sex to be helpful for RLS or pain. As far as pain, I dont feel sexy when I'm in pain and it does zip for RLS-as soon as the "deed" is done, the wiggles begin!

Anonymous 19 Jun 2012

... "I'm a huge conglomerate of all the bad things in my family", OMG that is hilarious DzooBaby! So, you are the catch-all of DNA mess ups?That's an interesting way to look at your situation, and funny too!

Okay my friend I'm gonna say this.. surely you would not disapprove of sex!? It has been proven to help with all grades of ailments. Now I'm not saying just with anybody or hire somebody but a partner can help you with symptoms just by making out. Anyway I know it does and its SHORT LIVED yes but is well worth it to me.

Sex helps relive pain because it releases endorphins (sp?). I myself experienced that a while back when I ran out of pain meds during the weekend and couldn't get it from my dr. My husband and I had sex and I did get SOME relief for a couple hours. So I do believe its a natural pain reliver. Great question because I seriously thought I was crazy. Get well and God bless!

For me, Robaxin 750, take one before bedtime and that usually takes care of me. RLS is horrible, believe it or not, Soma gives me RLS.I am on a bunch of psych meds that increase levels of happy neurotransmitters, and doesn't seem to make a difference.Hoping you find relief soon,Sweet Hippie

The endorphins in sex are heightened with a loving relationship, not just the act. It is the awakening of the limbic system that creates the sense of pleasure and peacefulness after orgasm. Actually deep meditation provides the same response.

I agree with the anxiety analysis as well. Anxiety heightens our inner watch guard. We become hyper vigilant. Shutting that down, shuts down the racing heart and such which is sending the mixed messages to your nervous system and ultimately RLS. Some people get insomnia instead. This feels,like torture and makes us even more anxious to sleep which makes the effects more difficult and.. Well, you get the idea. Since the so called reptile part of the brain is not shutting down for sleep properly, the body twitches, jumps, and so forth. When this works correctly the body is at peace for sleep.

In order to break this cycle, and it will take some time as habits are habits, I seriously recommend that meditation, very quiet bed time rituals, reduction of ambient light and staying away from stimulants including caffeine, heart racing movies and music, become part of ones bed time method. Loving sex will fall into this. Very reptile brain, ya know. Unless pregnancy is a fear, then back to vigilance. This is all solvable.

Be sure the phone is out of the way, TV is not the last thing you do at night, and what wasn't done today is on a list for tomorrow so you don't have to think about it until then. Medication can only do so much. Sex doesn't last all night, love can remain at all times. Even those without someone special still has a list of those they love. Remember those moments and help keep the endorphins present. Karen

Karen,Very cogent points, all. I'm not saying drag some dude in off the street and have at it, I mean it can be great in a loving relationship, it's a basic human need, intimacy. We can live w/o sex, but no one wants to live without intimacy. Or maybe that's just the way I feel.

Bless your heart, I feel for you. I've suffered from rls for years, but just suffered through it until I had my knee replacement done. Blew one of the stitches out and undid a week of pt with one particularly violent kick! I know you said you've used the meds, but I just thought I'd tell you that they put me on the Requip 1 mg with no help. It wasn't until they moved it up to 2 mgs that I got any relief. I don't particularly care to use it because it makes me very nauseous every time. Even after taking it for 3 years. I've learned my lesson though, after my knee healed I decided to stop taking it since I hated the nausea. Two broken toes later (and the removal of a footboard) I decided to just suck up the nausea! Apparently I missed my calling in life as a place kicker for the NFL! Hope this helps!Lisa

I was prescribed dopamine pills, so I decided to try sex too. Because of an injury my husband sustained while deployed, his back hurts bad and we cannot do it too often, but when he can, he is a thourough and passsionate lover who takes care of my needs before his own and I can have several orgasms before he finishes and I can sleep all night. Unfortunately it does not last for more than a day for me.

It is true (but may not work for everyone). It most definitely works for me (M, caucasian, 57). A full lovemaking session with the wife is best otherwise slow masturbation to orgasm will do it. I emphasis the 'slow' because a quick release isn't as effective. The consensus theory in various technical articles seems to be that it releases dopamine. This would be consistent with maximum relief coming (no pun intended) from full love making or a slow orgasm which presumably allows better and full dopamine generation. I'm not a medical person ... just reporting what works for me.